Although in my last post I mentioned that it would take a long time to have an internet connection, things turned out much easier than what we were originally expecting and got the telephone line installed a couple of weeks after we arrived.

It was a real odyssey to relocate and three weeks later most of our furniture and things have not yet been unpacked and it’s as if we haven’t moved yet. I have just taken out of the boxes whatever is necessary to function and it’s still going to take some time until I am back to regular blogging. You can read about it in my other blog here.

A few months ago, Foodie requested its members to submit kid friendly recipes and a selection of these recipes were recently posted in their e-cookbook. Three of my recipes were selected and published in their e-cookbook “Family Flavours, Favourite Recipes, from Foodie, which you can download for free. You can find my recipes on pages 78 – 81 and 90 – 91, of the e-cookbook.

Based on one of those recipes, I have made a twist on the Savory Zucchini Cake. as when we moved I did not have all the ingredients at home and didn’t have the time to go to the supermarket but it turned out even better.

These Chocolate Cookies were supposed to be made with cream cheese and chocolate chips but when I decided to make them when my daughter visited two weeks ago, I could not find the ingredients in the local supermarket, so I made some minor changes. I substituted cream cheese with cream, as cream cheese is made from cream, dark brown sugar with honey and chocolate chips with choco fruit which are raisins coated with chocolate and with Maltezers. My daughter doesn’t like raisins, so when the cookie dough was ready I divided it in half and I added the choco raisins and in the other I added crushed Maltezers.

The cookies were delicious although they are not the normal cookies which are crispy on the outside and soft in the middle but are soft and have the texture of a cake cookie. I did not strictly follow the recipe with the quantities given as I wanted to make a bigger batch to give some to my neighbour, who on several occasions gave me some fresh free range eggs as well as courgettes, okra (I have a new recipe to share) and eggplants and my daughter took the remaining with her to Athens. To make a bigger batch I used all the butter (250 gr) as well as the cream (200 ml) and I adjusted the remaining ingredients. While making the cookies I realized that I was out of baking soda and since I just had 1 tsp so I added baking powder as well.

They turned out delicious and they were thrilled with my gesture and they loved them.

I am posting my recipe first but if you like to use the original recipe, you can find it at the end.

Preheat the oven to 180 C /350 F degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. You will have to use them twice. By the time the second one is baking remove the first batch and add the third and then the fourth.

In a medium bowl, sift the flour with the cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.

Heat the heavy cream and add the chocolate to melt and then add vanilla. Set aside to cool.

In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter with granulated sugar. Add the honey and eggs and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the melted chocolate and mix until blended.

At low speed, add the dry ingredients as well as the chocolate chips or choco fruit and Maltezers.

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C /350 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, sift the flour with the cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. In a bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle, combine the butter, cream cheese, granulated sugar and brown sugar and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat in the eggs, heavy cream and vanilla until blended. At low speed, beat in the dry ingredients. Add the melted chocolate and chocolate chips and beat just until incorporated. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for at least 15 minutes or up to 2 hours.

2. Scoop heaping tablespoons of cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them two inches apart. Bake for 12 minutes until the cookies are just set; shift the baking sheets for top to bottom and front to back half way through. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a rack to cool completely.

Note: The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Oooh these are fantastic! And I so much prefer cream to cream cheese (don’t really like the tang cream cheese adds) and LOVE Maltesers, so good call, Ivy! Bookmarked this recipe – my son will love them (so will I).Jamie recently posted..CINNAMON COCOA MADELEINES & HONEY MADELEINES